Deciding where to stay in New York City is SO overwhelming, because there are so many excellent neighbourhoods to choose from – as well as a number you might want to avoid. If you’re planning your first trip to New York City and are wondering what the best neighbourhood to stay in New York City is, you’re in the right place! I lived in New York City for nearly two years, and have plenty of ideas for you. The best areas to stay in New York City, especially for first time visitors, are West Village, Midtown, the Upper West Side, Nolita, SoHo and The Meatpacking. If you don’t mind spending an extra 10-20 minutes on the subway each day, you’ll also find great value accommodation in charming Brooklyn neighbourhoods like Williamsburg, Dumbo and Cobble Hill.
I’ve also included my personal opinion on where not to stay in New York City. While many of these neighbourhoods are great for visiting, there are a few neighbourhoods to avoid staying in, due to lack of transport, location or a sense of safety. In two years of living in New York City I never had a serious safety issue, but there are neighbourhoods where I felt less safe walking around by myself.
Planning a trip to NYC? Don’t miss my 5 Day NYC Itinerary for First Time Visitors!
West Village
The best neighbourhood to stay for a bougie trip to New York City. West Village is one of the prettiest neighbourhoods in New York City – and the most expensive. Extremely walkable, with mostly low rise buildings and famously cute brownstones, West Village is great for shopping, exploring and cafe culture. Major sights in the neighbourhood include Washington Square Park, Carrie Bradshaw’s stoop, Comedy Cellar & the Village Vanguard. Check out my West Village neighbourhood guide for the best things to do, restaurants & bars in West Village.
Midtown
Midtown Manhattan is the best neighbourhood to stay for sightseeing. Midtown may be a concrete jungle, but for me, this is part of the magic of New York City, especially for first time visitors. Midtown spans the entire breadth of Manhattan, although Midtown West is also a neighbourhood in its own right, Hell’s Kitchen. If you can stay in central Midtown, you could be quite close to the southern entrance of Central Park.
Make sure you’re close to a subway stop, and just avoid the blocks directly around Times Square, so you’re not walking out into total chaos every day. Unmissable sights in Midtown include Central Park, Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, the Empire State Building and Times Square.
I stayed in Hell’s Kitchen for 8 weeks on my first trip to New York City, and in Midtown East for two weeks when we first moved, before we found our apartment in Nolita, and both locations were super convenient. If this is your first trip to New York City, you only have a short amount of time & you want to do lots of sightseeing, I’d recommend staying here.
Check out my Midtown guide for all of the best things to do in Midtown!
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Upper West Side
The best neighbourhood to stay in NYC for families & for Central Park. The Upper West Side is one of the best places to stay in New York City for access to Central Park, and for families. The Upper West Side is home to the Natural History Museum, The Lincoln Center and Zabar’s deli, and is adjacent to Central Park (western side). The Upper West Side is quieter, and more laidback (by Manhattan standards), and is popular with families. It’s a beautiful part of the city, but know that you’ll spend some time heading south to the city’s major sights every day.
Read my Upper West Side Neighbourhood Guide for a complete guide to this classic New York City neighbourhood.
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SoHo
SoHo is one of the best neighbourhoods in New York City for visitors looking for iconic architecture and world-class shopping. Staying in SoHo will be very expensive, but it’s a well-located downtown neighbourhood, within walking distance to West Village, Nolita, NoHo and Tribeca. SoHo is home to some classic New York City brasseries, like Balthazar and Raoul’s, historic taverns and bars like Fanelli’s and Toad Hall, and brunch spots like Jack’s Wife Freda. For shopping, you’ve got designer stores like Acne, Anine Bing, Saint Laurent, MiuMiu and Chloe, as well as more affordable spots like Reformation and NYC department store, Bloomingdale’s.
Check out my SoHo neighbourhood guide for a complete guide to SoHo!
Nolita
Nolita is the best neighborhood to stay in NYC for a trendy, neighbourhood atmosphere. Nolita is one of the coolest neighbourhoods to stay in New York City, thanks to it’s intimate, village-like atmosphere and tonnes of independent shops, bars & restaurants. Nolita is a short walk from SoHo, West Village, the Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown, NoHo & East Village, so it’s perfect for downtown sightseeing.
Nolita is well connected to the subways, and getting to Midtown can take as little as 15 minutes door-to-door (I know, because I used to be amazed I could get to work in Midtown every day, so fast!). I used to live in Nolita, so I do have a bit of a soft spot for it, but I genuinely believe it’s a perfect neighbourhood for first time visitors.
Check out my Nolita neighbourhood guide for the best gems in this charming NYC neighbourhood.
Book The Nolitan Hotel in Nolita
The Meatpacking
The best neighborhood to stay in NYC for nightlife & shopping. While not the most “authentic” neighbourhood in New York City, The Meatpacking is still a great spot to stay for visitors. The Meatpacking is a beautiful neighbourhood, it’s close to West Village, and is home to The Whitney Museum of American Art, the High Line and Chelsea Market. I stayed at The Standard for a few nights before we moved out of New York City and loved staying in the area. The Meatpacking is packed with scene-y rooftop bars and restaurants, if that’s your thing. Don’t miss the RH Rooftop, atop of interiors store Restoration Hardware!
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Flatiron District
The best neighbourhood to stay in NYC for central sophistication. The Flatiron District is an elegant neighbourhood in the centre of New York City, making it a perfect base for visitors. You’ll find sights like the Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park and the Fotografiska Photography Museum, as well as popular spots like the original Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, Eataly, Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Greenmarket. This small neighbourhood flows into Gramercy & NoMad, and is close to Greenwich Village, West Village and Midtown. From the Flatiron District, it’s a 15 minute walk north to the Empire State Building, or south to Greenwich Village. Some of the best hotels in Flatiron & NoMad are the New York EDITION and the Freehand New York.
Read my Flatiron District Neighbourhood Guide for a complete guide to this area
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Upper East Side
The best neighbourhood to stay in NYC for museums & Central Park access. The Upper East Side is one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in New York City. It’s a great neighbourhood to stay in NYC for visitors looking for easy access to the city’s most famous museums & galleries, like The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Guggenehim, and to Central Park. While the bars & restaurants on the Upper East Side tend to be a little more staid than their downtown counterparts, there are still a few super cute spots. Like the Upper West Side on the opposite side of Central Park, if you stay on the Upper East Side you’ll spend a little extra time on the subway, heading south to the sights in Midtown & downtown Manhattan.
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Williamsburg
The best neighbourhood for exploring what makes Brooklyn special. Williamsburg is famous for being one of the coolest neighbourhoods in New York City, which makes it the best neighbourhood to stay in Brooklyn. Williamsburg is a great neighbourhood for hanging out in New York City, whether that’s at Domino Park or at one of the neighbourhoods many trendy coffeeshops, restaurants or rooftop bars. Williamsburg is home to some of the coolest hotels in New York City including The William Vale, Moxy Brooklyn, The Hoxton, and Coda New York City.
Dumbo
The best neighbourhood for the Brooklyn Bridge. Dumbo is a tiny neighbourhood in Brooklyn, close to the Brooklyn Bridge. While there isn’t loads to see & do in Dumbo, it’s one of the most convenient neighbourhoods in Brooklyn for access to Manhattan, as it’s just a couple of subway stops away from downtown Manhattan. Hang out in Brooklyn Bridge Park and admire the views, catch the ferry to Manhattan, walk the Brooklyn Bridge or hit the Time Out Market for lunch.
Where not to stay in New York City
Hudson Yards
Despite being in central Manhattan, Hudson Yards is not especially convenient for public transport. It’s a bit of a walk to the nearest Subway, and this district is pretty charmless. Hudson Yards is worth a visit for the fabulous Mercado Little Spain, but you don’t need to stay here.
Lower East Side
I love the Lower East Side in New York City, but I wouldn’t recommend staying here for visitors. While I recommend visiting the Lower East Side for the Tenement Museum, Katz’s Delicatessen, Russ & Daughters bagels, nightlife and the Museum at Eldridge Street, it feels a little less safe than nearby Nolita or NoHo. Like so many parts of the USA, sometimes it comes down to exactly which street you stay on, but this is my general recommendation! It just wouldn’t be my first choice, especially post-pandemic.
Alphabet City
Alphabet City is a small neighbourhood between East Village & the East River, identified by the avenues running through it that are named after the alphabet – Avenue A, Avenue B, & so on. The reason I don’t recommend Alphabet City is that it is not well connected to the subway, so you’ll have a longer way just to reach a subway, there isn’t much here for tourists, and it has a reputation for being a less safe area.
The Financial District
While you might want to visit the Financial District for the 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street or the South Street Seaport, I wouldn’t recommend staying in the Financial District because it is at the very southern tip of Manhattan – you’ll spend a lot of time commuting. The Financial District is definitely worth a visit, but stay somewhere more centrally located.
Queens, The Bronx & Staten Island
These three boroughs of New York City are largely residential, so if you stay here you’ll have a longer commute to your sightseeing every day. If your budget allows, try and stay closer to the major sights by staying in Manhattan or Brooklyn.
Hello! I’m an Australian travel blogger, living in Melbourne, Australia. I grew up in Brisbane, studied in Paris, lived & worked in New York City and now live in Melbourne, Australia.
I love sharing specific and useful recommendations, itineraries and guides for the most beautiful things to see, do, experience & eat wherever I go.
My favourite travel destinations are Australia, New York City & surrounds, France, Greece & Japan, but I’m always excited to explore somewhere new!
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